G.fast to Hit Gigabit Speed in 2017

A study group meeting this week expects its work on G.fast and VDSL2 standards will result in the availability of gigabit-speed G.fast solutions before year-end.

The ITU-T Q4/15 Group, which focuses on copper access technology, is meeting at ADTRAN headquarters in Huntsville, Ala. The group is part of the International Telecommunications Union - Telecom standards body. Attendees such as AT&T, BT and Deutsche Telekom are scheduled to address accelerating new G.fast features that achieve more symmetric service rates, higher service rates and adaptation for delay critical applications.

Broadband technology advances already have narrowed the gap between available features in fiber and in copper infrastructure, said Tom Starr, chairman of ITU-T WP1/15 and lead MTS at AT&T, in a statement. More demand for network broadband speed, along with continuous development of vectoring technology, generate future opportunities for both fiber and copper-based solutions, he noted.

"This week we will progress these opportunities so that we can bring these next-generation technologies to life quickly," said Starr.

Digging in to goals
The group is trying to smooth out and work through 212-megahertz spectrum for G.fast, which today uses 106Mhz, and dynamic time slot allocation, said Kurt Raaflaub, head of global product marketing at ADTRAN in an interview with UBB2020. Once participants realize these goals, then G.fast speeds will double from an optimal, current speed of 500Mbps to 1 gigabyte, he said.

"When you get these two capabilities that we're working out right here… Working together to get 212Mbps, double the spectrum, double the capacity and getting collective, coordinated dynamic time slot allocation, gigabit's an absolute reality," said Raaflaub.

And since G.fast reuses existing infrastructure, such as twisted pair, implementation of high-speed broadband is faster and more cost-effective than alternatives like DOCSIS 3.1, he said.

That is the absolutely crux and value proposition of G.fast: You get to use existing infrastructure, whether it's twisted pairs going into each home to deliver a high-performance, high-bandwidth service or twisted pairs that are all over an apartment building or multi-dwelling unit," Raaflaub added.

Related posts:  

• How to Use G.fast to Create a Gigabit Society
• Urbanization Turns Copper Into G.fast Gold
• Multiple Choices Answer Broadband Question: AT&T's Fuetsch

  — Alison Diana, Editor, UBB2020. Follow us on Twitter @UBB2020 or @alisoncdiana.